Year: 2025

Kendrick Lamar brings his victory lap to Sydney with perfect Allianz Stadium show

The over-the-top beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake that dominated pop culture last year is still paying dividends for at least one of its participants. Following his viral Super Bowl performance, which centred around Kendrick’s now-signature Drake diss “Not Like Us”, the Compton emcee’s star has puffed right into the stratosphere. He now commands some…

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Photo Gallery: Sofia Isella + Ella Fence – The Roundhouse, Sydney (12.12.25)

Sofia Isella on her YOU’LL UNDERSTAND, DICK tour performed at The Roundhouse UNSW to an ecstatic Sydney audience. Isella’s musicality is even more striking in person. She shifts between violin, keys, and guitar with the focused ease of someone who grew up treating instruments like extra limbs. She has a tender connection with her fans,…

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Here’s every announcement from The Game Awards 2025

Another year, done and dusted, as we usher in one of the biggest and most prestigious nights, celebrating all things gaming in 2025. Firstly, we would like to congratulate all winners and nominees here on an absolutely stellar year, along with Game of the Year winner, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.  That being said, The Game…

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The cast of Street Fighter surprise The Game Awards with exclusive first look at their 2026 film

The stars of next year’s video game adaptation Street Fighter took to The Game Awards at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theatre in the last 24 hours to surprise the audience with both an exclusive sneak peak at the film, as well as unveiling the posters for each of the 17 iconic characters that will be featured….

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We jump into the pilot’s seat at Flightdeck + Rogue Racing in Anaheim

Just around the corner from Disneyland, in an unassuming strip mall, lies Flightdeck+Rogue Racing, an immersive racing and flight simulation experience. With an impressive 8 race car simulators, 8 fighter jet simulators, and a 737 Boeing simulator to top it off, this place has something for everyone. Last month, we were lucky enough to try…

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The AU Review’s ultimate last minute Christmas Gift Guide for 2025

Santa’s state-sanctioned home invasions are just around the corner. The big ball of joy is going to be squeezing down your chimney in just a few weeks, but you don’t want him to spot a sad, empty Christmas tree when he makes it down, do you? Trees that shadow dozens upon dozens of wrapped presents,…

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New Music Discoveries 12th December: Cry Club, Full Flower Moon Band, Saint Ergo, and more

With Christmas now very nearly upon us, we’ve added another ten fresh tracks for our Discovery Playlist, available on Spotify and Apple Music — including one premiere from earlier in the week. Our track of the week is “Retaliate” from Cry Club. A ferocious burst of electro-punk energy, “Retaliate” finds Cry Club in full fight…

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Everything we learned at the Supergirl trailer launch

Truth. Justice. Whatever. Next July, audiences won’t be looking up, they’ll be looking out for Supergirl, as the DCEU continues on from this year’s Superman with the hotly anticipated feature-length take on the Man of Steel’s more reckless cousin. Starring Australia’s own Milly Alcock as the Woman of Tomorrow and directed by fellow countryman Craig…

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Interview: One More Shot stars Aisha Dee, Sean Keenan and Ashley Zukerman on their time-loop comedy

On New Year’s Eve, 1999, armed with a bottle of time travelling tequila, Minnie (Emily Browning) arrives at the swanky beach house of her long-time friend, Rodney (Ashley Zukerman), only to discover that her former flame Joe (Sean Keenan), has brought his new girlfriend, Jenny (Aisha Dee). When Minnie takes a shot and is suddenly…

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Lewis Capaldi at Rod Laver Arena was absolutely worth the five year wait

Lewis Capaldi played to a sold-out Melbourne crowd at Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday, 10 December, as his world tour finally saw him gracing Australian shores for the first time in five years. With the release of his album Broken by Desire to be Heavenly Sent in 2023, Capaldi had plans to play in Australia…

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Series Review: Man Vs Baby; Rowan Atkinson’s situational comedy is perfect for Christmas season streaming

2022’s Man Vs Bee was the type of simplistic, farcical premise that shouldn’t have worked as well as it did. One of the reasons it did though was the utter commitment from the comedic genius that is Rowan Atkinson, who built upon the largely silent, situational mentality of his classic Mr. Bean for nine micro-episodes…

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Photo Gallery: Lewis Capaldi – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne (10.12.25)

Lewis Capaldi’s Melbourne show last night was purely him; loud, warm and a little bit unhinged in the best way. The crowd was right there with him through the jokes, the big sing-alongs and the heavier moments, with “Someone You Loved” and “Before You Go” hitting exactly as they should. You can read more about…

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Photo Gallery: Bar Italia + Wet Kiss – Metro Theatre, Sydney (10.12.25)

London indie rock outfit Bar Italia played a killer set at Sydney’s Metro Theatre performing songs off their most recent release Some Like It Hot and early releases. Made up of Jezmi Fehmi, Sam Fenton, and Italian born Nina Cristante their music blends post-punk tension with classic indie rock. Supported brilliantly by experimental genre-fluid band…

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Nikoi Island Beach Villa Bedroom - Old Mate Media

Is Nikoi Island the private family resort you’ve been seeking?

The mosquito nets ebb and flow with the breeze, drifting across the bed like clouds across the sky. Staring up through the mesh, it’s hard not to marvel at the intricate engineering of our two-story beach villa, built from driftwood and sheathed in alang-alang grass. The cavity towers upwards, designed to capture any errant sea…

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The Secretlab TITAN Evo XL gaming chair provides a premium experience that justifies its price

Secretlab are no stranger when it comes to crafting some incredible gaming chairs over the years, and the TITAN Evo has been dominating as the popular premium option for a few years now. While I’ve never had one myself, I jumped at the opportunity to test the TITAN Evo XL option and have simply had…

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Interview: Nicholas Ralph on “Love and kindness being at the forefront” of All Creatures Great & Small

As All Creatures Great & Small returns for its sixth season, the Yorkshire Dales feel more alive – and more in flux – than ever. It’s 1945, the war in Europe has ended, and the world of Darrowby is shifting with new veterinary techniques, expanding families, and the hopeful hum of a community rebuilding itself….

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Film Review: Ella McCay is an inexplicable, aimless “comedy” that feels overstuffed and undercooked at once

Given how prolific James L. Brooks has been as a filmmaker across his career, one would feel safe in entering a production of his with a relative sense of ease. Across the 80s and 90s, whether it was as a writer and director (Terms of Endearment, As Good As It Gets) or producer (Big, Jerry…

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The 33rd Annual Meredith Music Festival proves that there is still life in music

When asked how to describe the Meredith Music Festival, my camping neighbour, Phoebe, told me it could be summed up in one word: “collaboration.” Examples abound: Campers negotiating space and interacting with their neighbours. Jostling for prime couch position on the banks of the Amphitheatre Supernaturale. Improved wi-fi access at the Meredith township (making for…

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Review: Lady Gaga’s The Mayhem Ball is the mother of sonic spectacle – Suncorp Stadium (09.12.25)

Whilst Lady Gaga – in her first Australian bout of concerts in over a decade – claimed that the evening’s rules were to either “Dance or Die,” Brisbane really had only one choice when being enveloped by The Mayhem Ball; “Put your hands up” and dance! Gaga perhaps overdid it on how many times she…

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Flight Review: Is Virgin Australia’s Business Class worth the extra expense from Sydney to Perth?

It’s been a while since I last few business class with Virgin Australia across the country. So long, in fact, the airline still offered flat beds on the route when I did. These days, Virgin’s business class offering seems to be consistent across the board on their 737-800 fleet, with just 8 business class seats…

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“I left everything on the table”: Full Flower Moon Band’s Babyshakes on the wild world of MEGAFLOWER Deluxe

When Full Flower Moon Band released MEGAFLOWER in 2024, it didn’t just mark a breakthrough — it detonated one. A #1 Australian album, a sold-out vinyl pressing, and a viral reel that rocketed the Brisbane group into international feeds; it was the moment the band became unavoidable. One year later, Kate “Babyshakes” Dillon and the…

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Goodnight Universe serves up a superb narrative that’s packed with heart

It’s crazy to announce it here in writing, but I can proudly say that my wife and I are expecting our first child. Am I excited? Of course. Am I also terrified? You bet. When Goodnight Universe came my way, I couldn’t resist the subject matter and felt compelled to give this one a shot….

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Interview: AirAsia X reveals Australian plans for 2026 as Sydney and Melbourne flights expand

There was a repeat performance at this year’s Australian Aviation Awards. For the second year running, the Best International Airline gong went to a low-cost outfit in AirAsia X. It was far from the company’s only recognition, too. At the World Travel Awards, it also won World’s Leading Long-Haul Low-Cost Airline. It’s about bang for…

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Golden Gaytimes

Exclusive Video Premiere: The Golden Gaytimes “They don’t make ’em like me anymore” (2025)

Australian art-rock outfit The Golden Gaytimes have dropped their brand-new video for “They don’t make ’em like me anymore” the latest single lifted from their receently released album BUNG IT ON!. The clip — equal parts gritty, glam and full-throttle — captures the band’s signature chaos, swagger and off-kilter charm. Frontperson Jane-O describes the track…

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Photo Gallery: Perfume Genius – Sydney Opera House (09.12.25)

American singer, songwriter, and musician Perfume Genius played tonight at the iconic Sydney Opera House in the Concert Hall. Michael Hadreas, better known by his stage name Perfume Genius performance was intimate yet powerful with his band adding synth-scapes, shimmering guitars and rhythms. Pete Dovgan was their to capture the gig  

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The Fray celebrate twenty years of How To Save A Life with a sold out night at Melbourne’s The Forum

Celebrating the twentieth anniversary of their landmark album How To Save a Life, The Fray returned to Melbourne on Sunday night for a sold-out show at The Forum. The venue was packed to the rafters, buzzing with those looming end of year vibes, and the crowd itself was surprisingly mixed. Clusters of twenty-somethings made up…

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Photo Gallery: Parcels – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne (04.12.25)

Parcels brought a full-tilt disco to Melbourne’s Thursday night at the Bowl, sliding between favourites like “Tieduprightnow” and “Withorwithout,” plus a handful of tracks from their new album LOVED that already feel right at home in the set. A tight, joyful homecoming show that kept the crowd moving start to finish. Eloise Coomber was there…

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Here’s when and where you can watch The Game Awards 2025

It’s that time of the year again, when the best games of the year compete for the ultimate glory. In addition to the awards themselves, it’s also a great time for new announcements and trailers, with The Game Awards having gained quite the reputation over the years for some major news and surprises. The Game…

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Skate Story sticks its landing with finesse

  Skate Story is, as you might imagine, a game about skateboarding. Specifically, a game about skateboarding as a glass demon. And yes, it’s just as awesome as you might imagine. Created by developer Sam Eng (featuring music by band Blood Cultures and published by the iconic Devolver Digital), this one has spent a while in…

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Australian Independent Music Award winning band Winter’s End return with emotionally resonant new single “Deadtree”

Australian alternative pop/rock outfit Winters End makes a powerful return with “Deadtree,” a deeply affecting new single written in honour of the band’s late member – and frontwoman Marissa (Riss)’s brother – Christopher. After stepping way from music in 2020 following his sudden passing – where Riss admits that she went from “Writing songs daily…

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